There comes a time in every breeding dog's life when they retire from their breeding career.
This timing varies and is based on many different factors. I personally retire girls from breeding once they have aged out (usually around 8 years old, but this can also vary per individual) or when they start to let me know they are done with having puppies. Sometimes that's on their 1st litter, sometimes it's their 4th, and anywhere in between. My criteria for mother dogs is that they carry pregnancy well, whelp and recover well from whelping, take good care of their puppies, wean with gentle tactics (no harsh corrections or snarling at their puppies), and bounce back from the whole endeavor with ease. There are some "freak accidents" that happen in which I may consult with my trusted veterinary team and fellow breeders before making the call to retire a dog, but it depends on the circumstances. I'm not one to throw the baby out with the bath water and I set my girls up for success in every aspect of reproduction, from pedigree and lineage to pre and post natal care, but as I always say;
Mother Nature is a wicked mistress. That means sometimes despite our best efforts and meticulous planning, things don't how we had hoped.
Breeding dogs is almost all in a grey area - very rarely are things black and white. And that includes retirement.
Retirement looks different for some dogs than others. There are some dogs who will never leave my side and will continue to live out all of their days with me, and there are some dogs who are placed into loving retirement homes. This is based on the dog and on myself. Can I accept being apart from this dog? Can this dog thrive being apart from me?
It is impossible to keep every dog, even if we wish we could sometimes. It isn't fair to the dog in question or any dog in my care if I'm stretched too thin. Similarly to why dogs are placed into guardian homes, some dogs are placed into retirement homes. It increases quality of life for everyone, with the dog as the primary consideration.
We never stop appreciating or loving them.
This timing varies and is based on many different factors. I personally retire girls from breeding once they have aged out (usually around 8 years old, but this can also vary per individual) or when they start to let me know they are done with having puppies. Sometimes that's on their 1st litter, sometimes it's their 4th, and anywhere in between. My criteria for mother dogs is that they carry pregnancy well, whelp and recover well from whelping, take good care of their puppies, wean with gentle tactics (no harsh corrections or snarling at their puppies), and bounce back from the whole endeavor with ease. There are some "freak accidents" that happen in which I may consult with my trusted veterinary team and fellow breeders before making the call to retire a dog, but it depends on the circumstances. I'm not one to throw the baby out with the bath water and I set my girls up for success in every aspect of reproduction, from pedigree and lineage to pre and post natal care, but as I always say;
Mother Nature is a wicked mistress. That means sometimes despite our best efforts and meticulous planning, things don't how we had hoped.
Breeding dogs is almost all in a grey area - very rarely are things black and white. And that includes retirement.
Retirement looks different for some dogs than others. There are some dogs who will never leave my side and will continue to live out all of their days with me, and there are some dogs who are placed into loving retirement homes. This is based on the dog and on myself. Can I accept being apart from this dog? Can this dog thrive being apart from me?
It is impossible to keep every dog, even if we wish we could sometimes. It isn't fair to the dog in question or any dog in my care if I'm stretched too thin. Similarly to why dogs are placed into guardian homes, some dogs are placed into retirement homes. It increases quality of life for everyone, with the dog as the primary consideration.
We never stop appreciating or loving them.